An Irish woman who is a suspect in the brutal double murder of two north Dublin men has been arrested in South Africa in relation to an alleged hostage situation.

Gardai want to question the woman and another man about the gun murders of best pals Eoin O'Connor (33) and Anthony Keegan (32) whose bodies were found on an island on Lough Sheelin, Co Meath, on May 26 last year, a month after they were reported missing.

The female suspect was arrested by police yesterday afternoon for the alleged possession of a dangerous weapon.

It is believed the woman became involved in an apparent hostage situation during which a hotel manager was tied up in his home and viciously threatened.

Reports indicate that her South African visa has expired and she may have to leave the country.

The South African man is also wanted for questioning in relation to the double murder.

It is suspected the O’Connor and Keegan were abducted and murdered after making their way to Cavan.

There is no formal extradition agreement between Ireland and South Africa, but it is understood gardai have made huge progress in the double murder case.

Sources say gardai believe the man and woman became caught up in a "diabolical plot" by a north Dublin gang to have the best pals murdered following a criminal dispute.

It is understood that the man became involved in the murder to wipe out a relatively minor drugs debt that he owed to the feared Dublin gang.

Port-mortem results showed that both O' Connor and Keegan were shot in the back of the head "execution style" after they were lured to their grim fate and at least two people were involved in the shooting, with others helping to dispose of the bodies.

An unsuspecting fisherman alerted gardai to the badly-decomposed bodies of the two Coolock men on the afternoon of May 26 last after he noticed a terrible smell coming from an island in Lough Sheelin.

The bodies were tied together and found covered over with tarpaulin.

Two men, one from Lithuania and the other of African descent, were arrested in Cavan town in June of last year, while a man aged in his 50s was arrested in Co Meath last December. However, there have been no arrests since then.